1870. 1 The Geological Survey of India. 4:65 



nients of human manufacture in the shape of axes and spear-heads 

 made of chipped quartzite pebbles, and of the same types as those 

 which occur in the gravels of Western Europe. They were spread 

 rather widely over a large extent of area in the country to the west 

 and north of the city of Madras, and have been made of the best 

 substitute which this portion of the country could afford for flint, 

 namely, the very hard and semi- vitreous quartzites of the Cuddapah 

 series. 



In gravel, situated near Pyton on the banks of the Goclavery, 

 an agate-flake has been found, which is undoubtedly an artificial 

 form. It is figured in vol. i. of the ' Becords.' 



We have but briefly and imperfectly noticed a few of the more 

 important results arrived at by the energetic labours, in the field, of 

 Dr. Oldham and the officers of the Geological Survey. This work — ■ 

 superintended by Dr. Oldham — has been carried out by the many 

 able assistants who have served under him, among whom we may 

 mention H. B. and J. G. Medlicott, H. J. and W. F. Blanford, 

 C. M. Oldham,* W. Theobald, jun., F. E. Mallet, A. B. Wynne, 

 R. B. Foote, T. W. H. Hughes, W. King, jun., F. Fedden, &o. 



We will now turn our attention to the palseontological work. 



A Museum of Economic Geology was established at Calcutta in 

 1840, and in 1856 it was placed in connection with and under the 

 same superintendence as the Geological Survey of India. There are 

 also Museums at Madras, Bombay, and Kurrachee. 



During the progress of the Survey numerous fossils have been 

 collected, and specimens are being constantly added to the Museum. 

 Indeed Dr. Oldham reports that they increase so rapidly that no 

 room can be found for their proper exhibition, and in the examina- 

 tion and description of them it is impossible to keep pace. During 

 the year 1869 more than 20,000 specimens passed through the 

 hands of the curator and his assistant. A suitable building is, we 

 are informed, now in course of erection at Calcutta, where the fine 

 collections already brought together will be properly arranged and 

 exhibited. 



One of the more richly fossiliferous tracts is at Spiti and Bushpu 

 in the Himalayas, where representatives of Silurian, Carboniferous, 

 Triassic (Lilang series), Khsetic (Para limestone), Lower and Middle 

 Lias, and three subdivisions of the Jurassic period, and also Creta- 

 ceous rocks are believed to occur. 



In order to figure and describe the species of organic remains 

 collected by the Survey, the ' Palaeontologia Indica ' was instituted. 

 This quarto publication is issued in fasciculi, each containing about 

 six plates, and published once every three months. Five series of 

 these fasciculi have been published. 



* This able geologist died 30th March, 1869, aged 37 years. See Obituary, 

 ' Geul. Mag.,' vol. vi., p. 240. 



